"Black Friday" Indeed

Submitted by itsthebritneybitch on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 2:28pm.
As far as I know, living in NY and all, Long Island doesn't have many black residents. So STFU.

...as a Black person who grew up in NY with family living in Long Island, I beg to differ. LI is quite ethnic now. Many Latinos and Blacks, in fact the Latinos outnumber the Blacks now in certain areas. And Valley Stream is basically Queens, anyway. And no, I don't expect people who live in the Hamptons to come all the way to the city to bum rush a WalMart.

I totally concur with the STFU!
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I smacked a bitch and I liked it.

Submitted by . on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 7:05pm
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Off topic: Hi Dotty..how's it going? Hope things are a little better this week?

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Une certaine qualité de gentillesse est toujours signe de trahison~ François Mauriac

Submitted by . on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 7:05pm

I offered ignorance as a reason, not an excuse. Sadly enough, there are obviously people who are ignorant of basic human decency. It's way fucked up, but they haven't learned any better.

EDIT:
In my humble opinion it IS ignorant to wait in line for hours for a thing. I've never done it in 47 years. I've never camped out for concert tickets, or to get an the latest, hottest phone gadget, or even to vote.
People all over the country were bitching about the wait to vote early. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I voted around 7:30 on November 4th, and was out of there in 10 minutes.
"This ain't rock n roll. This is genocide!"

Submitted by paulapoo on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 6:53pm.

Yep I agree Deb, it's not about race, and not about whether or not it's a U.S. thing. It happens everywhere.

Large groups of greedy(or frightened, or drunk, or angry)people can freak out and stampede.
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Agreed. Ever seen footage of soccer fans going mental at international soccer matches? They're all colours and all nationalities. It's a human thing.

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Une certaine qualité de gentillesse est toujours signe de trahison~ François Mauriac

Submitted by Deb on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 6:48pm.

Submitted by paulapoo on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 6:44pm.

I hear ya. If some one says black people acted badly, they're considered a racist. Well these black people did act badly. But I do believe it's a question of ignorance, not race.
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No. Both of you have it a little skewed [imho].

First...

paulapoo,

If you search the youtube archives for "Black Friday" you'll see a bunch of fat, lard ass, sweat pant wearing WHITE people stampeding stores too. Did they kill anyone? No, but the herd/trampling mentality is there just the same [I do have to say though, sweats are an upgrade from polyester pants ha-ha].

Deb,

Ignorance? Ignorant enough to READ an ad? Ignorant enough to have money to spend and time to camp out at a stupid store in the wee hours? Ignorant enough to TRAMPLE someone to DEATH who was a BIG GUY by all accounts? How do you step on someone over and over who is a big dude without KNOWING IT? A child or tiny woman maybe but a BIG MAN? No, this was intentional, selfish, greedy negligence and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Ignorance is the shittiest excuse in the book as far as I'm concerned. COMMON DECENCY? What happened to that? People laughing on their cell phones while filming paramedics trying to perform CPR while the shoppers shop on? *shakes head* Fucking sick.

I'll stop ranting now before I lose it. lol

Cheers, paulapoo!
I'm someone who cannot take crowds and crowd mentality. My part-time job is as a temp in the hospitality biz. I worked in restaurants for years before starting my business.
After an event, (if you're lucky), the staff is fed. It is horrific to me to have to line up and eat like a fucking refugee. I've done it and I hate it. When you've been on your feet for many hours, working hard without a break, and you're starving, you do what you have to do. But it's dehumanizing.
I've never queued up for a sale, and never will.

"This ain't rock n roll. This is genocide!"

Yep I agree Deb, it's not about race, and not about whether or not it's a U.S. thing. It happens everywhere.

Large groups of greedy(or frightened, or drunk, or angry)people can freak out and stampede.

Submitted by paulapoo on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 6:44pm.

I hear ya. If some one says black people acted badly, they're considered a racist. Well these black people did act badly. But I do believe it's a question of ignorance, not race.

"This ain't rock n roll. This is genocide!"

I don't go shopping from in stores after Thanksgiving, till way after Christmas... seeing the way people act makes me want to shoot myself in the head... I'll go to the grocery store and if I need anything I order it online.... I worked retail for a lot of my youth and it really makes you lose all respect for people

I feel so bad for the mans family... absolutely tragic

Submitted by Deb on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 4:14pm.

Well it certainly looks like most of the people there were African American. What of it?

Deb:
I posted a link to the pictures because of this previous comment:
"Submitted by itsthebritneybitch on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 2:28pm.

Really? And where, pray tell, did you get that info from? The Walmart they're talking about is in Long Island. As far as I know, living in NY and all, Long Island doesn't have many black residents. So STFU."

green acres is a little on the ghetto side, i should've known that was the location of the walmart this happened in. it's the closest walmart to brooklyn (now i understand why they won't open one up in brooklyn), and it's relatively close to the projects too..surprise surprise

Submitted by Zappy on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 6:23pm.

Submitted by No Words on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 5:19pm

I'd still have mah ol' GE No Words ifn I didn't need up to date technology for my kids game systems. That was the best TV ever...sigh. However, FYI...TV is going digital in Feb 2009 and you need to upgrade or your signal will go out!
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Thanks, Zappy! (-: I checked with the cable company, and they told me I would be okay if I had cable. Thank gwad, I love my old RCA.

Submitted by No Words on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 5:19pm

I'd still have mah ol' GE No Words ifn I didn't need up to date technology for my kids game systems. That was the best TV ever...sigh. However, FYI...TV is going digital in Feb 2009 and you need to upgrade or your signal will go out!

This was a public service message.

The banks and credit markets should've been left to fail. Why the fuck is the government bailing them out when in reality all the "lost" money was spent on shit that people don't need. Think about all the resources, all the consuming, and all the cheap shit that ultimately ended up in the landfill. That's what that man died for. So that people could run back out and buy more cheap shit to replace the other cheap shit they didn't need in the first place. Sickening. Xmas is off the menu for me this year. It's all about consumerism, materialism and greed and I don't give a fuck.

Submitted by . on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 5:54pm.

God no!

roxie
I agree. Consumerism is like a religion here. How did we become defined by what we have?

"This ain't rock n roll. This is genocide!"

Submitted by . on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 5:57pm.
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Thanksgiving was great! I always watch World's Dumbest Criminals because I can't get over the stupid things that people do.

All I want for Christmas is you oooh oooh baby... MC

Submitted by Sayonara on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 5:43pm.

On Thanksgiving Eve I watched a show called "Smoking Gun's World's Dumbest Shoppers" show on Tru TV.
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LOL! World's Dumbest Shoppers sounds as entertaining as "World's Dumbest Criminals"...! Too bad I missed that! haha I hope you had a nice, safe holiday. Ours was super mellow but I cooked way too much. I'm still recovering. Pumpkin cheesecake anyone? lol :)

Submitted by Deb on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 5:50pm.

Where the Fuck is Mrs. K? I miss her bons mots! Calling Mrs. K, Calling Mrs. K!
Come lighten up the scene right away!
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Let's hope she didn't get trampled at some Black Friday sale in Seattle. *Gulp*

Where the Fuck is Mrs. K? I miss her bons mots! Calling Mrs. K, Calling Mrs. K!
Come lighten up the scene right away!

"This ain't rock n roll. This is genocide!"

I think that American culture in general is partially to blame. We are constantly bombarded with ads, commercials, buy this buy that, be cool, fit in. It's a self-centered culture that teaches people that happiness can be bought with material things.

On Thanksgiving Eve I watched a show called "Smoking Gun's World's Dumbest Shoppers" show on Tru TV. They had a countdown of some of the crazy arse things that shoppers do. This show contained footage of people mobbing into stores to get the special discounts, etc... It was outrageous! These stores will have huge discounts between now and the first week of January. There is no need for the violence! I really feel bad for this man's family.

All I want for Christmas is you oooh oooh baby... MC

Damn. The desperation of merchants to pull this shit every year is annoying as hell. How about have DECENT prices ALL YEAR LONG so you don't go INTO the RED in the first place? If they can slash prices one time a year to go into "Black" then why not keep prices that way rather than depending on ONE SEASON to recoup losses for having such jacked up prices that nobody wants to shop? Maybe I'm missing something but it seems mighty stupid to me. :\

This incident isn't isolated [I'm speaking of shopping mania not sports/concerts which is a dif sitch if you ask me] and you can use the search term "Black Friday" on youtube and see it's not just Wal-Mart either. UGH.

Where are these people finding money to even buy xmas presents? I'm not buying jack-shit this year except for food!

-And, this poor guy was probably busting his hump readying for these maniacal bargain hunters and he gets trampled by an adrenaline filled mob over shit made in China? *smacks self in head* His family must be utterly devastated. :(

Online shopping is the wtg. Hell's bells, I do 75% of my grocery purchases online now too. Shopping isn't a relaxing stroll through isles like it used to be whilst smiling at other shoppers, giving up your place in line for someone, perhaps making a kind comment or helping someone who asks you some advice. Crazy times.

Getting a big-ass TV with all the bells and whistles is foreign to me. I still have the television set I bought to furnish the home I bought 25 YEARS AGO. It works fine, and I don't believe in replacing something that works just fine.

Needs, not Wants. Stuff will never make you happy. I had Thanksgiving dinner at my brother's house along with his in-laws. They were showing off their brand new matching Mercedes-Benzes. They are two of the most unhappy, restless people I know, buying stuff to fill the void.

Stop the madness...downscale, and find out what really matters.

@luckycharms:

WERD.

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I think it is easy to focus on who trampled who and who is to blamed for the physical act of trampling. But the real question at core is: Who is so materialistic they are waiting in lines since the day before to buy discount TVs and computers that they don't need anyways? You want to buy your fat fuck obese kids a new computer, TV, newest video games, etc? Why not a new bicycle, ball bat and glove. Why not give the hubby a really nice sweater and colonge and whatnot. Because everything has to be HIGH TECH, HIGH TECH, HIGH TECH. Fuck that shit, I don't need any of that crap. I'll run my TV and computer into the ground. And quit honestly, I don't even know what an IPOD or Blackberry is. And damn thankful for that.

I can't quit you babe, so I guess I got to put you down for a while--Led Zeppelin

@ Deb:

Ha! For reals.

That 1989 incident totally haunts me. I remember the footage of it - it was horrifying to think that people could do that to one another at a soccer game of all places!

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If you have ever visted a culture that is non-materialistic it really put things into perspective. I remember the tour guide of a place I visited said a lot of tourists feel bad when they see the area because it is so different from their culture. They had no doors on their houses, they slept on hammocks.

Submitted by paulapoo on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 3:40pm.

Well it certainly looks like most of the people there were African American. What of it?

How many blacks do you think were at the Who concert in Cincinnati 1979, when 11 people were crushed to death?
Or the Pearl Jam concert in 2000 in Denmark where 8 people were killed?
Or the Sheffield, England soccer game in 1989 where 95 people were killed?

A tragedy is a tragedy.

EDIT: I will say that I think it's criminal that people trampled on this poor schmoe and continued shopping. That is heartless.

"This ain't rock n roll. This is genocide!"

angel_i

We are on the same wavelength it seems!

"This ain't rock n roll. This is genocide!"

@paulapoo:

I think most of these people were white.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE3D8153CF935A25757C0A...

I think what you might find in common between these two groups are poverty and substandard education.

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Those stupid murderers need to go to prison. Loved teh Satan line hahahaha. MK you are one funny dude. Black Friday sales aren't even good.

Submitted by itsthebritneybitch on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 2:28pm.

Really? And where, pray tell, did you get that info from? The Walmart they're talking about is in Long Island. As far as I know, living in NY and all, Long Island doesn't have many black residents. So STFU.

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Photos:

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/ny-liwalm1129-pg,0,2766609...

Sobelle - your tale is depressing as shit.

I think a lot of those people are congenital liars themselves and when they are told someone didn't show up to work due to a death in the family or illness they're merely thinking about all the times they have lied using that excuse.

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Blackout
Circus
Coma

I actually work for Asda in the UK. It's similar to Walmart because they own it. Two years ago a man in his thirties took a heart attack at one of the tills. Paramedics tried to revive him there and then and they didn't even shut the shop. Customers with children were shopping and all the did was place screens around him. People were even trying to get a look. They had to wheel the man out dead and still never shut the shop. The woman serving him was traumatised. She was not sent home or given any description of counselling. This was not near Christmas so there was no excuse not to shut the shop besides greed. So no, it is not only in America I'm sorry to say.

This truly makes me want to boycott Wal-Mart. There's got to be a modicum of decorum here, and I'm not seeing one iota. Fuck Wal-Mart.

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"Fiddle-dee-dee. War, war, war. This war talk's spoiling all the fun at every party this spring. I get so bored I could scream."
☼ ☼ ☼ Scarlett O'Hara ☼ ☼ ☼

If Wal-Mart gets their pants sued of due to this I say it's karma. They exploit workers to uphold the American standard of living. Taking advantage of people in China and third world countires has come back to bite them. These people exploit workers for American companies that get away with lax labors laws due to the fact that the workers aren't in America.

Zappy, not dissing all NYers or NJers or Northerners. I'm saying that from my husband's experience this has been the way it's been since day one. It just happens to be that way and I'm just telling something from personal experience in one venue. He rarely has these types of experiences with people from the South...that's just a fact in his particular industry. I have relatives from the North whom I love. Not hating on Northerners. Most of the homeowners came from being tenants with supers who took care of everything. They just haven't adapted to the fact that with home ownership comes the RESPONSIBILITY for your own property (once the warranty period has expired) and that is a new concept to most of these people. They are just very, very disrespectful to him, make threats, etc. because ten years after they buy a home, they decide that they would rather have hardwood floors than carpet and they want the homebuilder to furnish it free of charge (a ridiculous demand) to the tune of thousands of dollars. That's one example of thousands of other ridiculous demands (sense of entitlement to the max) that he sees. Again, they just haven't adapted to the concept of owning a home that is their responsibility and they haven't learned they can't bully someone to get what they want; I know a lot of these people have come from backgrounds where they have had to fight to get what they want, but the level of hostility and aggressiveness is unbelievable. I know not all Northerners are this way. But, in his industry the great majority of those HE has dealt with are and that's just the way it is. I'm sure they will mellow with time. Sorry if I came across offensively.

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"Fiddle-dee-dee. War, war, war. This war talk's spoiling all the fun at every party this spring. I get so bored I could scream."
☼ ☼ ☼ Scarlett O'Hara ☼ ☼ ☼

Two thumbs up aquarius!

Submitted by Zappy on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 2:44pm.

I agree. I have lived in Kentucky and Brooklyn for 4 years each. Ignorance is in no way limited to geographic region, and there are plenty of honest and caring people from NY/NJ -- I have encountered a number of them in the last 4 years. But a sad fact of life is that there are always going to be some ignorant assholes, wherever you go.

I agree with PART of your post SoBelle about the way PEOPLE behave..please don't diss New Jersey okay? We get a bad enough rap as it is without ignorance putting fuel on the fire. It's not just NORTHERNERS who do this shit. I hear a good amount of IGNORANCE happening down south from friends of mine who live down SOUTH.

Now on to your post MK...these assholes should be shot for their greed and apathy.

Submitted by funwithfear on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 7:08am.
The people that killed the guy are black. now lets see if the libs have the guts to call them animals or fat now! Its easy for coward libs to say nasty remarks about people when libs think a person or group of people are white or from the south. but when it turns out they are black. then poof!!!suddenly there is silence!!!
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Really? And where, pray tell, did you get that info from? The Walmart they're talking about is in Long Island. As far as I know, living in NY and all, Long Island doesn't have many black residents. So STFU.

"Kfed done stole mah bebe's"

Submitted by SoBelle on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 2:11pm.

I don't know about that one cuz I live in NY and I know some people who go out of their way to help their fellow man. My advice to your husband is to shame those assholes who have no empathy. If someone complained to me about something like that, I'd make them feel like the shit that they are and tell them not to ever call my office again cuz I don't want customers like that.

"Kfed done stole mah bebe's"

I can't believe this shit. I hope they prosecute every single one of those mother fuckers who had anything to do with the death and the injuries that were caused. I really can't believe that someone can just walk on or over a human being or any living thing for that matter. Fucking pigs. Never participated in Black Friday, and never will for this exact reason.
"Kfed done stole mah bebe's"

My husband is in upper management for a national homebuilder. He had a homeowner bitch him out when one of his workers didn't show up to look at a crack in the sidewalk because he had a heart attack. Another incident, another man didn't show up because his mother died and he found her, and the homeowner started ranting because he was inconvenienced. One of these homeowners was from New York, the other from New Jersey. 99% of the people he has the worst problems with, in them not giving a fuck about their fellow man, come from people not from the south. There are incidents like this every single day to the point he's depressed about even working in the industry with homeowners like this. It blows our minds that the lack of compassion and empathy is so rampant; you even see it in their kids. It's fucking pathetic and people like these Wal-Mart asshole shoppers should burn in hell for their greed, lack of compassion and social behavior equal to that of a serial killer and/or sociopath.

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"Fiddle-dee-dee. War, war, war. This war talk's spoiling all the fun at every party this spring. I get so bored I could scream."
☼ ☼ ☼ Scarlett O'Hara ☼ ☼ ☼

Mom told me an interesting story. She was talking to someone at the store who told her that she and her adult daughter were shopping on Black Friday. The daughter had the last XBOX in her hand. Another shopper came up to her and grabbed it out of her hand. The mom went up to the grabber and said, "Excuse me. That is not acceptable," and took it back. There was no violence. Amazing.

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You're missing the point I'm sure does not need making
that Christmas spirit is not what you drink.
--Jethro Tull

Well said, Tuna528.

A poor guy DIED so a bunch of greedy fuckers could save a couple of bucks. On the upside, Hell awaits them.

Okay, just got home last night and read some of the posts...let me add my two cents' to the chorus of Dlisters...

I have never, and will never, participate in the orgy of mindless spending known as Black Friday.

I do not buy Christmas gifts just to buy "something"...we usually just buy all through the year as needed.

And finally...I and my family are learning and following the criteria...Is it a "want" or a "need?" We are only buying Needs...and frankly, we have all our Needs. NO ONE NEEDS A BIG SCREEN PLASMA TV FOR $299, especially if it costs a man his life.

I am disgusted beyond all words at what happened Friday.

@tuna: Beautiful.

I'm half your age and I remember simpler times too. We were talking the other day about how much inflation we've experienced in our lives...a lot in a few short years. Everything is going faster. There is some tribe somewhere (sorry, I forget again) that watches the sky. They've been doing it for hundreds of years. Apparently, the cycles are quickening up there. They say it's not a good sign.

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Great post MK!
@tuna, amen darlin'! thanks for the stroll down memory lane. I used to luv Kroch's over on Wabash avenue.
@funwithfear, you're a fu.gin' idiot! seriously, most of the 600+ comments on here are decrying the actions of these fools, yet you, with agenda in hand, decide its a good place for a post on your B.ullshiz views on race. Sorry that the black kid kicked yo ass on a daily during elementary school, get over it.

Let me reiterate what so many have said previously, the people who contributed to this man's death, all in the name of a discounted t.v. are despicable, lack humanity, and need to be strung up by their privates. Regardless of what ethnicity box they check. Period.

Black Friday is BAD,
It should be BANNED!!!

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"Aren't we forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? You know… the birth of Santa."—Bart Simpson